Xaronese Celestial Empire
"Our Empire is God's will made manifest!" ::- Rojixus e Thraxus Tal'Shiar The Holy Xaronese Empire was a theocratic empire founded in 0 XE by the Xaronese warlord Straxus the Conqueror. Founded on the belief that the Xaronese people had a divine mandate to rule the universe, the Holy Xaronese Empire spread across the galaxy like a raging inferno. By the 27th century XE, the Holy Xaronese Empire was one of the most powerful states in the galaxy. History Establishment The Holy Xaronese Empire was founded after the Lesser Unification Crusades united the warring states of central and southern Xaron by Straxus the Conqueror in 0 XE. After declaring himself Emperor, Straxus the Conqueror began the Greater Unification Crusades by adding territories to his vast domain. By the time of his disappearance in 21 XE, the Heavenly Fire Prophet conquered nearly a fourth of the planet and a fourth of its population. Consolidation After Straxus the Conqueror's disappearance, his son Draxus ascended the Imperial and Holy Dragon Throne as Emperor Draxus I Tal'Xaron the Preserver. Although the Iron Fist Prophet was not the military genius his father was, Draxus I was responsible for transforming the Xaronese Empire into a more stable entity that could stand the test of time. One of the Black Dragon Prophet's first edicts dealt with the reconstruction of the infrastructure left behind by the Rhomaeran Kingdom centuries earlier as well as the construction of new roads and bridges. Government and Politics The Holy Xaronese Empire was a theocracy ruled by an emperor of the House of Xaron. The Emperor of Xaron was also the Prophet of the Imperial Faith of the Undying Flame, making the Emperor of Xaron the highest spiritual and temporal authority in the Xaronese Empire. However, the actual power the emperors held varied throughout the ages; some emperors ruled as absolute monarchs while others were pawns of the nobility, clergy, military, or their own harems. The Emperor was assisted in ruling the Empire by the Imperial Sanhedrin. Members of the Imperial Sanhedrin were apointed by the Emperor and served for life or until they were dismissed by the Emperor. The leader of the Imperial Sanhedrin, the Lord Chancellor of the Faith, was appointed by the Emperor from among the members of the Sanhedrin. The Lord Chancellor was aided by the members of the Sanhedrin High Council, each member was responsible for an aspect of government. The only government organization not subject to the Imperial Sanhedrin was the military which reported directly to the Emperor. Beneath the Emperor and his government were the governments of the numerous Mediatised Houses, houses that had allied with Straxus the Conqueror and were thus allowed to maintain a measure of autonomy. The Holy Xaronese Empire was divided into sectors which were in turn divided into subsectors. Most sectors were ruled by governors-general appointed by the Emperor. Governor-generals ruled supreme in their assigned sectors so long as their edicts did not conflict with Imperial laws. Economy The economy of the Holy Xaronese Empire was dominated by a few family-owned businesses known as combines. Combines were usually vertical monopolies with several subsidiary companies operating in various sectors of a market under the aegis of a holding company owned by a single family. These merchant families, often buying for themselves titles of nobility, were greatly derided by the old nobility as uppity peasants who forgot their station. For their part, many merchant families believed the old nobility were relics of an obsolete era. Dispite their mutual animosity, the old nobility often took wives from among the merchant families and vice-versa. The Xaronese economy was also heavily dependent on slavery. Slaves were either taken from recently conquered planets or bred in commercial breeding facilities. The omnipresence of slavery made finding employment difficult for average Xaronese, slaves could do any work a free person could do but did not have to be paid for their labor. Ironically, one of the few employment opportunities open for Xaronese was in the slaving industry itself. The official currency of the Holy Xaronese Empire was the Xaromark. The Xaromark was adopted as the Empire's official currency during the reign of Draxus the Preserver in the 1st century XE. Originally tied to the value of gold, the Xaromark was taken off the gold standard in the 5th century XE. Culture Religion The official religion of the Empire was the Imperial Faith of the Undying Flame. The Imperial Faith was founded by Straxus the Conqueror in the first century BXE. The Emperor of Xaron was the undisputed leader of the Imperial Faith, his every decree regarded as divine revelation. The holiest book in the Imperial Faith was the Pyronomicon which was gathered from the writings and speeches of Straxus the Conqueror during the reign of Emperor Draxus I by the Imperial Sanhedrin. Language The official language of the Holy Xaronese Empire was Imperial Xaronese Basic. Xaronese Basic was the most widely spoken language in the galaxy, spoken across the Empire and beyond. Imperial Xaronese Basic was regulated by the Agency for Linguistic Purity. In addition to Xaronese Basic, a second variant of Xaronese known as High Xaronese was used in religious services and other formal events. High Xaronese was descended from the Xaronese spoken by Straxus the Conqueror and his court. Compared to Xaronese Basic, very few knew High Xaronese outside of the clergy, nobility, and scholars. Military The Holy Xaronese Empire had one of the most powerful militaries in the Teggedon Spiral. The Xaronese military was divided into the ground-based Imperial Xaronese Army and the space-based Imperial Xaronese Navy. The militarism of Xaronese society was evident in the large recruitment rates of the military. As many as half of all Xaronese were employed by the military in some fashion whether it be as soldiers or the virtually endless number of support positions. A career in the military was often the only way most Xaronese could hope to move up the social ladder. Indeed, many noblemen attained their rank through military service. Category: Xaron Category:Nations of the Teggedon Spiral